Flat Line
by moonlite982
Summary: "I'll make a deal with you. If you live through this and you wake up, I'll do whatever I can to help you find your family. And if you flat line...then I will too." Alone, afraid, and dealing with the loss of her mother,Sara is in the hospital when chaos breaks loose. When fate brings her to Rick Grimes, she chooses to stay by his side and go on a journey in a new and chaotic world.
1. The Day The World World Flatlined

_Hey! So, I tried posting this story a while ago but it didn't do well. So I rewrote it and have the first few chapters done. I hope you enjoy it! _

I run frantically through the hospital, dodging bullets and slipping on random pieces of paper. This place is a slaughterhouse, chaos is all around along with terrified screams and gunshots and the worst, the snarling and the tearing of flesh. If I live through this, I will never get these sounds out of my head. Ever.

It all started with a weird news story, something about a deadly virus outbreak and the CDC trying their best to figure out a cure. I was at the hospital visiting my mom, who is suffering from a cancerous brain tumor and is in bad shape. I know she's not going to last much longer, the doctor said so from the very beginning, so I made a bed beside hers and am staying with her. A few days after the news story, I started hearing weird rumors around the hospital. While going to get food I witnessed a man being restrained by four doctors. He was growling and snarling and looking like he wanted to bite them. It was so terrifying I quickly got my food and hurried back to the room. It just got worse from there and very quickly too. There were more terrifying stories and sounds coming from the other side of our door. I saw one nurse come in and warn me of what was going on and to run, to get out of there quick but I refused to leave my mother, who had slipped into a comatose state. I begged her to come back, to comfort me, to give me advice, to stay with me but she had already slipped away into a deep sleep.

I heard some people outside yelling and screaming and then gunshots went off. I muffled a scream in my hand and ran into the bathroom behind the shower curtain just in time to hear someone bust into the room. The sounds got worse, louder and more terrifying. I heard someone fall into the wall followed by screaming and another voice snarling loudly. I whimpered, drawing noise to myself and another person staggered into the bathroom and came after me. I screamed loudly and fought the thing trying to bite me. I kicked it as hard as I could until I finally pushed it out of the doorway and slammed the door. It continued to beat against the door and I cowered in the corner. The noises continued to get worse and I dared not go outside.

That is until the worst thing happened to me. Something that I know will haunt me forever. The sound of my mother's heart monitor... It suddenly began beeping out of control from her heat racing and I see her seize in her sleep. But as quickly as it started, it stopped suddenly and then finally...it flat lined.

All the chaos became background noise, I felt my heart skip a few beats, my breathing become labored and the same cold feeling I got when the doctor said she wouldn't make it, only this time, it was ten times worse. I got up and shakily walked over to my mother.

"Mom?" I whispered.

I grabbed her hand and expected it to be cold but instead it was hot, fiery hot. I jerked my hand away in confusion. What was going on? Wasn't she supposed to be cold? I checked her pulse and there was none. No heartbeat. Nothing. Why in the world wasn't she cold?

And then I remembered...

The nurse telling me about a man down the hall. "...he came in complaining about a bad fever, he was hot and couldn't get cooled down. The doctors tried everything but his temperature kept rising and wouldn't stop. Eventually he flat lined and there was nothing they could do. But the scary part is that he came back about five minutes later and that's when all the commotion broke out. Attacked the nurse that was cleaning up. It took several people to restrain him and nothing would work, not even the heaviest sedation. We still don't know what to do."

I cringed at her story. "How is the nurse that got attacked?"

She shook her head wearily. "Not doing well at all. She's experiencing the same symptoms and they've done everything they can."

"What's their plan now?"

The nurse gave me a haunted look and answered, "They have her restrained until further notice."

Shaking the memory from my head, I take a step back from my mother's side. "No..." I begin to cry, shaking my head. This can't be happening to her. It can't. But it was and there was nothing I could do but shake violently. I knew I should get out of there but I was so scared.

Fifteen minutes pass in eerie silence before I hear what sounds like breathing. I turn around and see my mother's chest fall up and down. "Mom?" I whisper uncertainly. Her flutter open and she looks at me. I gasp, backing away from her. Her eyes are yellow and glazed over and when she breathed, it was wheezy. I sobbed, knowing what had happened to her. "Mom, no, no, please, no." She responded by getting out of bed and coming towards me, her movements jerky and sudden. "No!" cry out as she tries to come after me. "Mom, it's me! It's Sara! Please don't do this!" But she came at me faster and the familiar snarling came from her as she tries to attack me. I scream and push her out of the way and run for the door. She tries to follow me but I slam the door in her face and am tossed into the chaos in the hallway.

And that is what led me to the state I am in now. Terrified, exhausted, out of breath and haven't the slightest clue as to what to do. I run and run until I look back for a second and when I turn around I run right into a man in a police uniform. I scream and jerk away from him as he grabs my arms. "Let me go!" I yell frantically.

"Hey! Hey! Shh, it's ok, I'm not gonna hurt you!" He tries to reassure me but I'm still scared to death as I prepare myself for the worst. He tries to speak but is suddenly cut off by a bullet flying by, making us both scream. The man puts himself in front of me and pushes me down the hallway as the chase continues. I keep expecting a bullet to hit one of us but thankfully it never does. It seems like we're running forever before Shane opens up a door to a room and slams it.

While I'm trying to catch my breath, I see him run over to a bed with a man in it. He checks his pulse and frantically tries to wake him up, cursing under his breath when it seems to be unsuccessful. The monitor is still beeping, that means he's still both freeze when we hear voices outside and the man tells me to hide so I run for the bathroom just in time to hear the door open, pause then slam again. I let go of the breath I was holding and step back out. I see the police man still trying to wake his friend up and I sympathize for him as the man in the bed doesn't budge. He puts his head on his chest, listens, then comes back up with a grim face.

"I'm sorry." I whisper from the bathroom doorway. The office looks at me with sad eyes. "My mom...I just lost her, too." I take an unsteady step forward. "Who are you?"

"Shane Walsh. You?"

"Sara Adams." I return the greeting.

He nods then clenches the bed frame while giving a devastated look at his friend. "What happened here?" he asks.

"There's been an outbreak. Some...virus. It hits you so fast and so hard. The fever burns you out and then..." I pause, knowing I'll sound crazy.

"And then what?" he asks curiously.

I look into his eyes. "And then you come back. It's crazy and terrifying. My mom...it got her too. She was already dying, she was in a coma but earlier I heard her heart monitor go crazy and then it flat lined. She was gone but...then she came back as one of those things and chased me out of the room." I pause as I look into his eyes which are full of unbelief. "I know it sounds crazy, I don't understand it myself and you probably don't believe me but-"

He holds his hands up. "I believe you. I've seen it, been responding to nonstop calls. I just don't understand it, all this chaos...it's out of control."

"Why are so many people being killed? People who aren't sick?" I ask, my voice sounding childlike.

He shakes his head sadly. "I don't know." He answers honestly.

And then suddenly all the energy seems to leave my body and I shakily slide down against the wall and bring my knees to my chest. "It's the end of the world." I conclude quietly. And for a moment, the earth is still. No one says anything.

The chaos continues outside and I wish I could drown out the agonizing screams and gunfire. I hear a crash outside and it's so loud it makes us both jump. I dare take a peak outside and what I see makes my blood run cold. A complete war is going on and all I see is red. I'm so terrified I'm numb and I wish I could just escape or that time would rewind or just flat out stop. But it won't and I have a feeling it won't for a long time.

I glance over at the man Shane is staring at the man on the bed with conflicted and scared eyes. Who was he? I wondered. A friend? Brother? Cousin? Something more? "My best friend." He answers my curious thoughts. My cheeks flush as I realize he caught me staring. "Rick was his name. Friends since we was kids, partner on the police force. Shot while on duty few weeks back, been in a coma ever since."

My heart sunk a little lower as Shane explained his friend's story. It weighted me down even more. There's so much sad news you can take before it finally breaks you. "I'm so sorry." I whisper, knowing my words will fall short.

Shane takes a shaky breath as he wipes at his tears rapidly. "He has a wife and a son. I have to go get them, protect them. I promised I would if anything were to ever happen." He says.

I nod. "I hope you find them." I say meaningfully. He goes to say something but then there's a huge bang outside filled with more screaming. We listen as it gets worse and I begin to shake and cry into my knees. I'm so scared. I feel a hand on my back and the other squeeze my shoulder. I open my eyes to see Shane in front of me with concerned and alert. "Listen to me, we gotta make a run for it as soon as it's clear. I'll keep an ear out-"

"No," I cut him off, shaking my head rapidly. "I'm not going out there."

His eyes eyebrows contort in confusion. "You can't stay here, I won't let you." He says.

I shake my head again. "I'm not going out there, Shane. I can't."

"Sara, you'll die if you stay here." He says seriously.

"And I'll die out there, too." I retort. "Only out there I'll probably get eaten and that is not how I want to go. I'd rather stay here and starve."

"Sara-"

"You have a family to protect, Shane. You promised your friend. All I'll do is slow you down and I don't want to be responsible for getting in the way." I pause and look down. "You have people to live for, I don't." My voice cracks at the last word.

Shane's eyes are sad and conflicted as he contemplates his next move. "I can't let you do this. There's gotta be another way." He whispers.

I smile softly. "You can't stop me, Shane. This is what I want." I lean my head against the wall in defeat. "This is it. This is the end."

Shane sighs heavily as he paces back and forth before finally kneeling down in front of me and placing something cold and hard in my hands. A gun. I look at him with uncertainty. "In case you ever change your mind." He explains.

I offer a thankful smile and squeeze his hand. "Thank you." I whisper then clear my throat and say more firmly, "You better go now. It's about as calm as it's going to be right now. You need to make a run for it."

"You sure you don't want to come?" He asks uncertainly.

I nod. "Yes. Now go," I give him a gentle push. "Keep your promise." I say softly.

Shane nods reluctantly then squeezes my shoulder. "Take care of yourself." He says gently then stands up and heads over to the door. I set my head back down. "Hey," I look up. "I'm sorry 'bout your mom." He says sincerely. Tears prick my eyes but I simply nod and give a sad smile. And with that, he checks the hallway and then jumps into the chaos the next chance he gets.

"Good luck." I whisper after him.

For a while, I stay there, waiting for someone to bust through the door and shoot me. I wouldn't struggle, I'd just let it happen. I really don't care. But no one comes. I pace back and forth for a while, contemplating taking my own life and just be done with it. It just takes one bullet, one moment of pain, my decision. But for some reason I can't bring myself to do it. So I continue to pace until I randomly pick up a stack of paper and start going through it out of boredom. I realize that it's the man laying in the bed file explaining what happened. Rick Grimes. Victim of a shooting, slipped into a coma, treatment methods, blah, blah, blah. I close the folder and sigh then reach out to grab Rick's hand.

"You're lucky you're not here in this mess." I mumble.

The noise outside begins to settle and the silence starts to take place. I don't know which is worse. But it's there in the silence that I begin to think and a realization sparks my curiosity. His hand wasn't cold and, it was boiling hot either.

As far as I'd known, Rick Grimes was dead. At least, according to Shane he was. But there were signs he was very much alive. Why didn't I see it before? I felt around for a pulse and finally, I found one. It was faint but it was there. "Oh my..." I whisper. Why couldn't have I realized this earlier? His face was pale but still had a normal color to it, his temperature was fine, and he hadn't tried to attack me like her mother did. Rick Grimes was alive. At least, for the time being.

I think about what I should do. Shane was probably long gone by now, there was no phone contact, and even if there was, there is no guarantee that he will wake up. Before, he was hooked up to machines I didn't know how to work. I don't know if he'll make it without them. I'm not a doctor, I have no idea how to help. If he does wake up, it'll be all on his own. I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Finally, I sigh and sit next to Rick. "I'm sure it's pretty weird to have a stranger looking over you, I know I'd be freaked out but my mom told me that sometimes even patients in comas can't speak or move, they can still hear. So I'll introduce myself. I'm Sara. I'm twenty years old, twenty one in a few months if I make it." I roll my eyes. Highly doubtful that I'll survive that long. "Not much to know about me. I lost my dad to the drink when I was thirteen, lost my mom a few hours ago to cancer or whatever freaky virus is going around." I pause and think about my words. I have an opportunity to vent about how I feel and not be judged by it. It seems crazy to me but I have nothing else to do while I await my fate so, I pour out my feeling to the comatose officer in front of me. "I have no problem admitting I'm scared. I don't...I don't know how I'm going to survive this or if I even want too. I'm alone, Rick...I don't have anybody. Mom was the last person who meant anything to me."

Rick doesn't respond and I don't ever expect him too. I suspect he'll die just like my mom and then I'll be alone for good. It's a scary thought and I'm not sure if I'm completely ready for it so I push it aside and to calm my anxiety, I continue talking to the man in front of it. "Your friend told me a bit about you. He's worried, ya know. I'm sure your family is too. I hope they're safe. But you know, between you and me, I think you're really lucky." I confess. "You didn't have to hear or see what happened. I don't wish it on anyone."

I continue talking to Rick, finding some strange comfort in having someone to talk too. I avoid touchy subjects as I don't want to cry. My mom would want me to be strong, even when I don't want to be. I have to face the facts and the facts are, the world is ending, the dead is rising, and there's very little chance of survival for someone like me. Suddenly all those people who spent years preparing for this aren't so crazy to me anymore. I have a choice...I could pull the trigger right now and end it all or, I could take the biggest risk of my life and be killed in a much more painful way. Neither sounds appealing to me.

I go back and forth in my head for what seems hours, until the sun is low in the sky and the last bit of light is shining through the window, illuminating Rick's face. I come to a conclusion and it seems crazy but I'm determined to go through with it. "I've been thinking a lot these past few hours." I close my eyes, willing the tears not to come. "I'm scared to death but I made a decision and it includes you. It's bit of a stretch but hear me out. We've both been tossed into this mess and without each other, neither of us will make it. We'd be alone. So, I'll make a deal with you. If you live through this and you wake up, I'll do whatever I can to help you find your family." I take a deep breath. "And if you flat line...then I will too." The tears come and I can't stop them. "I'm sorry for crying and for dumping this all on you but I'm scared. I don't want to be alone." When my tears finally start to dry up, I grab Rick's hand, feeling like he's my only lifeline. "Stay with me." I quietly beg.

And that night was the beginning of a very long and exhausting journey. One that I never thought I'd be ready for.

Notes


	2. Stranger Knocking At The Door

**_NOTE: The next two chapters will include characters from the Walking Dead webisodes called The Oath. I thought it'd be interesting to include them as its a little different from normal stories you see on here. :)_**

My mom always used to tell me to have hope, that no matter how bad life can be, it would always get better. She described it as the sun hiding behind the clouds but the fact was, it was still there and sooner or later, it would always come back. Cliche, right? I thought so. In the three weeks that I've been here, I've had plenty of time to think about my mother and all her wise sayings. I wonder if she'd change any of them knowing this is how the world would turn out. Even more, knowing that she'd go down with it in the very beginning. I try not to let bitterness get the best of me but it's hard not too. My mom...she was so strong and very wise. I wish she were still here. I could use someone to talk too. I share these thoughts with Rick, who's still in a coma.

"Not that you're bad company, Rick but you're not exactly that social these days." I say to man that's laying in the hospital bed. "Mom, she was always social. Always had something to say. She was never afraid to tell the truth but she did it in such a way that you couldn't be mad at her. Like if she were here, talking to you, she'd tell you to make up your mind. Either go see the creator or get your ass out of bed." I laughed as I could imagine my mother saying such things. But then I sober up and clear my throat and lean forward. "Seriously though, I wish she were here. And I wish you would wake up. I'm running out of food and I'm too chicken to face the outside on my own again. I know someone else is here but I'm too scared to face them. I don't know if they're good or bad. Like I told you before, they don't come out much, I don't blame them but they are here."

It's true. I've heard someone here. About three days after this place fell, I heard someone running around, leading the creepers by our room until they faded. I heard doors slam in the distance and the voice of what I think was a woman but I didn't dare go out. Uh uh. Nope. It sounded like they had everything under control and I still had food at the time so I wasn't going anywhere. I heard them a few other times but then it slowly came to a stop. I haven't heard anything in about a week or two.

I wish something would change though. Rick is still in his coma and I'm bored as ever. The only good news is that Rick's vitals are getting better, stronger. I know it doesn't mean anything but considering where he was the first time I saw him, it's a good sign. I keep his bandages as clean as I can and talk to him. I was told before that sometimes people who are in comas can still hear you even though they're not responding or awake. There's part of me that hopes he doesn't remember anything. I talk to him so much it'd probably annoy the average person if they were awake. He also knows everything about me now. Everything from my childhood mischief's to today's doubts. Like I said, I have way too much time on my hands.

Despite my constant chatter, I have sort of made myself useful. I've been target practicing. I found a few sharp objects and cut a target in the wall. I was a little rusty at darts but soon I got the hang of it and now have a pretty decent shot. I also have been doing exercises to try to keep myself in shape. You never know what's going to happen. Better be safe than sorry, as my mother would say. I've been out a

I rest my head on my arms propped on the bed. "You're so lucky you get to sleep through this crap." I mumble for the hundredth time. "I have to go outside soon. I won't last much longer if I don't. You can wake up any time, ya know. It'd be nice to have some help." I get the same response. Silence. I roll myself then close them, drifting into a nightmare filled with creepers, gunshots and bombs.

_I'm running through a hallway, like I did the first day all hell broke lose, except now there's dozens of creepers chasing me. I race down the hall until I find Rick's room. I quickly run in and close the door but when I turn around, a creeper is ripping into Rick. "NO!" I scream loudly, my heart beating out of my chest. The creeper turns around and faces me and I cry harder when I realize it's my mother, still in her hospital gown. She growls sinisterly and starts walking towards me. I try to escape but when I open the door, there's dozens more reaching for me. I slam the door then reach for the gun in my belt. I hold it to my head and my eyes fall onto Rick's torn up body. "I'm sorry," I whisper then pull the trigger before my mother has a chance to rip into me. I hear the bang and I fall to the floor and the thing I hear a loud banging on the door._

I wake up in a cold sweat, my throat sore from screaming. "Shit!" I wheeze, shaking from the nightmare. _Bang! Bang! Bang! _I jump realizing that the banging on the door in my dream was now real. I freeze. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_

"Is somebody in there?" A man's concerned voice says. "I heard screaming, are you ok?!"

I debate whether or not I should answer. More banging. "I know you're in there. I'm not here to cause trouble. I...I came here with my friend. I was wounded and the last thing I remember is gunshots and the decays closing in. Then I woke up in a room filled with them. I almost got my ass chewed...literally." He laughs softly and I smirk at his analogy. "Please. You have no reason to trust me but maybe we can help each other. I'm just looking for answers. I'm sure you are too."

Dammit. All this time I avoided opening this door but now I can't. He's right. I do want answers. And maybe he's a good guy. Maybe he's not. It's a fifty fifty chance. I sigh. Might as well risk it. The worst he can do is kill me, which is a joke in this world. Hell, might even be a favor so I don't have to do it myself. "Are you armed?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"I'd be shit out of luck if I wasn't." he replies sarcastically with a chuckle. "But I assure you, it's only for the decays. You can't afford to waste the weapons you have these days."

"How do I know you won't hurt me? Why should I trust you?" I reply.

"I can't give you any good answers, miss. Trust...it's a sacred thing these days. I don't blame you for not wanting to open the door. All I'm looking for is my friend and for clues. And honestly, it's nice to know someone else survived the end. Least for now anyway." He says.

I sigh. I'm taking a big risk but he seems sincere enough so I do the stupid thing and open the door. In front of me is a tall man in his mid thirties with reddish brown hair. He offers a friendly yet desperate smile as he lifts his hands up. "I mean you no harm, I promise." He says then slowly hands his gun to me. I carefully take it, it feels awkward and big in my hands. Then he stretches his hand out to shake mine. "I'm Paul."

I hesitantly take his and shake it. "Sara."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh snap! Chapter Coming up next: One Lives...All Live: Sara and Paul are nearly stripped from their hope due to a devastating situation and are faced with life and death decisions.<strong>


	3. One LivesAll Live

I move aside and let this new stranger by name of Paul come in and take a seat. I sit across from him and soon we're swapping each others stories. I learn that he and his friend Karina had lost loved ones in their camp and had been what they could to survive on the road and then ended up here after he got hurt. His story is sad and I realize how lucky I have been to stay here. I'm really glad now that I didn't leave and I am no way in any hurry to face it now.

Soon it's my turn to tell my story and I tell it with ease. I didn't realize how eager I was to finally tell someone who was actually conscious enough to listen to me. I tell him about my mom and Rick and the weeks I've spent here and he seems really surprised that I haven't taken one step outside.

"I don't want too..." I explain as I look at the covered window. "I didn't even want to look at it. Hearing it was enough. I remember...the screams of people dying and the gunshots and moaning of the creepers. Then the bombing...it was so loud and I thought this place was going down too. Eventually it just got quiet. And for some reason I think that's worse because I relive it every second."

Paul listens intently then looks to the side and speaks. "I don't blame you. It's not easy being out there. It's hard and heartbreaking when you lose people. Yet it's torture being alone too. I get that."

I nod. "I know it's probably crazy and stupid sounding that I'm sticking around a comatose man that I've never met, could be a psycho for all I know, but...I just couldn't leave. Not knowing he's still alive. I...would rather him die than him wake up in this hell hole alone. Maybe I don't want to be alone...I don't know." I shake my head, my face turning red as I realize how crazy this all sounds. "It's stupid-" I whisper but he interrupts me.

"It's not stupid." He says seriously. "What if you left and he woke up? How would you know? I can guarantee you'd wonder about it all night." He leans forward. "One lives, all live." He points at me. "You're brave. There's not a lot of people like you any more. Don't change. Don't give up on your friend there. You never know what you may start."

I don't know whether to call this man crazy or not but I settle for a nod and look at Rick. "What if he's crazy and wants nothing to do with me?"

Paul shrugs. "You never know. At least you'd have the upper hand and can take him out since he's weak."

I roll my eyes. "Then it'd all be such a waste. I'd be pissed." I say bluntly.

Paul laughs then stands up. "How about this, let me find my friend and then we'll stay until yours wakes up. That way you won't be alone anymore." He offers.

I smile, feeling relieved. "I'd like that." I say honestly. Words can't express how thankful I am to not be alone anymore. Maybe mom was right. Maybe there was still hope.

Paul offers for me to go with him to find his friend, Karina and though I'm skeptical at first and don't want to leave Rick, I finally agree and just push the gurney in front of his door as Shane had done. It's a scary world outside that room. Scarier than what I could ever imagine. There's an eerie silence as we walk through the hallways. The amount of blood, bullet holes and debris tells a story of what happened here. "To think only a thin door and a gurney separated me from all this." I say quietly.

"Sure as hell was lucky, that's for sure." He comments before bending down to pick up something. A small, petite yet butterfly pin. Recognition floods his face and he breaks out into a sprint. "Karina!" He yells over and over. I chase him, keeping an eye and ear out for any creepers. He runs ahead until I see him stop at a room that's wide open. I see a smile on his face and for a moment I think he's found his friend.

But something's wrong as I approach him. The smile fades as he walks into the room. I stop at the doorway and take in the scene before me. There's a pretty woman lying in bed, her eyes closed and a female doctor beside her stroking her hair. I don't know what's going on until Paul speaks and the doctor lets out a huge gasp and then hurriedly moves away. Paul takes her place at Karina's side and starts shaking her and saying her name. I'm so confused until I see the vile on the table and my heart drops. "Oh no." I breathe then cover my mouth.

"You're alive?" the doctor says in disbelief. No shit, I want to say.

Paul backs and stretches out his arms, shock and confusion all over his face. "Wh-what what happened?" He asks in a broken voice.

I look at the doctor. "She didn't want to be alone. She thought you were dead, WE thought you were dead." She explains.

I bite my lip then lean my head on the doorway. This isn't can't be happening...this is wrong. I haven't even met this woman but I feel for Paul. The grief is hitting home.

"You...you...you killed her?" I hear him say, struggling to digest what just happened. "Is that what you do here?" I look at the doctor, anger building up inside me. "Those people in that room, they came here for your help...we came here for your help-" He looks down, unable to finish his sentence.

The doctor steps forward. "You're out there killing each other for canned peaches or a safe spot to sleep at night because you don't think you have a choice. They wanted an alternative." She tries to defend herself then points to Karina. "Karina...Karina wanted an alternative."

Paul whips around, anger and hurt in his eyes. "An alternative?!" He yells angrily. "You have no right!"

"I don't need any rights! I am not making the decision!" she yells back. "Their minds are free now! Fear is a disease! It breaks us down and makes us turn into these cancerous cells. Can't you feel how real this is? How powerful and infectious, I offer freedom to those who realize the futility of fighting one another." There's tears and desperation in her voice as she tries to get him to understand. And though I somewhat understand, it still hurts. This wasn't right. "Hope doesn't mean the same, Paul." She continues. "Not anymore. Not in this world. The only real hope we have is that maybe we get to choose how it ends."

I step up. "You're wrong." I say to her in shaky voice, tears pricking my eyes. She looks at me with startled eyes. "You're wrong," I repeat. "There's always hope. Always."

Her eyes moisten. "Oh honey, I wish you were right. I would love to be wrong but look around you. Go outside and tell me if you can walk down the street with the same carelessness as you used too! Tell me if you can sleep peacefully at night." she challenges and in the corner of my eye I see Paul kneeling beside Karina. "I remember you. I remember your mother."

I freeze and she steps towards me. "I remember her before it all ended, how she suffered with illness yet she still held on. For you." I look away, my hands trembling. "Tell me, dear. In the end, what did she hang on for?"

"Stop it." I squeak out but she doesn't stop.

"She held on for you, to give you false hope that everything would be ok and now you're standing here with nothing left but broken pieces." she accuses.

"Shut up!" I hiss at her. "You knew nothing about her! Don't you dare bring her into this! I knew she was dying, I excepted that but I clung on to every moment I had left and have no regrets! She gave me hope when I had none! In the darkest time of my life she was there and her words got me through like they are now."

"Tell me, what is different between those hard times then and now? Back then there was hope! If you were addicted, there were programs, if you were hurt, there were doctors, if you suffered from abuse, there was justice! But none of that exists now! There's only us and the walking dead! And I tell you, murder, fear and injustice is just going to continue to get worse." Tears prick my eyes as the reality of it all hits me. This is real. I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Would your mother want this for you? To grow up living in fear with no purpose? You can't go to college, make a good career, be successful, none of that matters anymore, none of it exists. Tell me, sweetheart. Is that the kind of life you want to live?" Her eyes beg me to understand and I won't lie, there's a huge part of me that screams at me to accept what she's saying but something in me just can't.  
>I shake my head and she just sighs, wiping tears from her eyes then looks at Paul. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened but I didn't make the decision. Karina did and I will be here for those who want that same choice. That is my oath." She says with finality then looks at us both. "So now, you both have a choice." She points at Karina. "You can't murder someone who wants to die."<p>

We all pause and there's such a thick tension in the air. I choose to speak. "You're right. Things...they're not like they were before. They never will be. I won't go to school like I wanted. I won't get to walk my best friend down the aisle, I won't get to go to Australia, I won't even be able to give my mom a proper funeral that she deserves." Sadness is thick in my voice and it's hard to speak, hard to keep my head up and meaningfully say my next words. "But, you're also wrong. I still believe there's hope and I'd rather live and change a life if I can. Make something out of it even if it is the end. And if I can't, then at least I'll die trying." I walk towards the doorway and turn before I leave. "That is my oath." I say boldly. Paul holds my gaze for a moment, brokeness filling his eyes. I've had all I can take before I walk quickly down the hallway and eventually break out into a run. I don't want to see the final show down between Paul and the doctor.

I finally reach my room, shove the gurney out of the way, fling the door open then fall at Rick's bedside and start wailing. Heart wrenching sobs seize my body and there's no stopping it any time soon. "Oh my God, oh my God," I cry over and over again. "Please, somebody give me strength to get through this. I'm not strong enough." Suddenly, a gunshot makes me jump and my eyes widen as I realize what just happened. I look at Rick and plead with him. "Please. Please, if you can hear me, please wake up. Please. I can't do this alone. I need a reason. Please." I beg him over and over as I cry. Fear and grief seize me and I'm nearly doubled over. I close my eyes and start shaking, wishing all of this would just end.

I don't know how much time passes between before I open my eyes and see someone standing at the door. I look up and Paul is standing with a pained look on his face. "Paul," I whisper. He looks at me with tear filled eyes. "I'm so sorry. So sorry." And I mean it. I hate that it ended this way and then I realize, he probably would have found her in time if he hadn't found me. "It's my fault..." my voice cracks. "Karina...if I'd have kept quiet-"

"Stop!" He raises his trembling voice. "Don't go there. Just...don't. It'll kill you." He warns.

I shake my head and look away. "I'm a hypocrite...when this whole thing started, I was ready to pull the trigger just like everyone else. The only reason I stopped was because I was scared and I had convinced myself that that man right there could somehow make it and then we'd escape and then...I don't know. I didn't think it through. Maybe she was right. What if we get out only to be killed in some creeper herd? Truth be told, I had hope but I don't know what I was hoping for." I sigh as my head droops down. "I shouldn't have made an oath I wasn't sure I could keep. I don't know if I can do this...I don't think I'm strong enough." I confess.

Paul walks slowly over to me and takes my chin in his hand, forcing me to look up at him and then just stares for a few moments. "You stay put and hold your ground." He points to Rick. "That man right there is counting on you and when he wakes up, you'll be able to count on him. It's an endless cycle that started long before this mess. We needed people from the very beginning. That's never gonna stop. If anything, it's gotten more crucial. Now I'm not saying you're not gonna pass through a few crazies here and here but you stand your ground and fight." He gets down to my level and pleads with his eyes. "Keep your oath. Make your life worth living. I can guarantee people are going to need people like you. Even if you're torn apart or brutally murdered, your life isn't going to waste." He lets go of my chin then stands up. "Know that." He says then walks towards the door.

"Wait!" I call after him and stand up. "Where are you going?"

His shoulders slump. "I know I said I'd stay but I can't."

I run over him and grab his arms. "You said you wouldn't leave! You can't! Please! Don't leave me alone again." I beg him out of desperation. "We can get through this...all of us. We can get through this together. You don't have to be alone either. Please...don't go."

His eyes water once again and he takes my face in his hands, wiping the tears that are falling down my face. "I won't be alone." He smiles weakly. "Thank you for giving me strength." He kisses the top of my head then gently pulls away and whispers into my ear. "Don't open that door until the time is right."

I try to reply but my throat closes and all I can do is nod then whisper a tiny goodbye. I back away and with tears still running down my face, I collapse into the chair again. "Sara," Paul calls my name and I look up. With a straight and serious face he says, "Remember. One lives...all live." I stare at him for a while, taking in his words before nodding. And with that, he's gone. Never to be seen again.

I get up and numbly walk into the bathroom. I slink down in the corner and pull my knees up to my chest. Sadness...it's one hell of a killer and it's threatening my life right now. But...I can't let go. All I can do is embrace the pain and hope that it'll soon pass.

* * *

><p><strong>I was curious as to what happened to Paul after he left. If you haven't seen the webisodes, I encourage it. They're good(but low budget) and offer some back story to a few things seen in TWD. So I hope you enjoyed pulling them into the story :) Also, what do you wanna see next? Review and let me know! Chapter coming up next: Good Afternoon: Has our favorite Sleeping Beauty finally awaken? What will his reaction be?<strong>


	4. Good Afternoon

It's been two weeks since Paul left and I'm beginning to lose my patience and my sanity. Anger has replaced my grief and I've been taking it out on the target wall. I threw a scalpel so hard that I can't get it out now. Oh well. When Rick wakes up, IF he wakes up, he'll probably be freaked out by all the jagged holes in the wall. At least I know I can hit a target...well, at least from across the room I can. I wish I had more room so I could get better. I wish I had more things to keep my mind occupied.

This new life isn't fun at all and I selfishly let myself think about life before. Like back when I was sixteen and all I had to worry about was my boyfriend dumping me and my grades being too low. Or when I was five and my crayon broke. It's amazing the things we took for granted now don't even exist or matter anymore. "You know," I start talking to no one in particular. "Mom used to nag me about my grades. She always used to say, 'if you don't get them grades up you'll be stuck at a burger joint for the rest of your life.'" I throw a knife as hard as I can into the wall. "Sure as hell doesn't matter anymore." I snap as I rip the handle out of the wall and walk back. "Michael...I was so convinced I loved him until he hit me. I was gonna take his ass to court." Once again I angrily throw the knife and it hits its target. "Guess that doesn't matter now either!" I snatch all the knives out of the wall and stomp back, angry tears forming in my eyes. "I was to be there for Kaitlin on her wedding day!" I angrily throw a knife. "We had a bet about who would be married first." I throw another. "She won. And then we were supposed to have houses close together and have a crazy amount of kids and cats. But that's never gonna happen either!" I throw the last one as hard as I can then collapse against the wall. "None of it matters anymore."

Call me childish for screaming about what seemed the little things back then but I would do literally anything to have them back, even the hard times. Anything to live in a safe world again. But, I couldn't do anything. Nobody could. I thought that I had accepted that but I didn't and today it just all came down again. And I decided that I was going to go ahead and scream about how unfair it was and take it out on the wall. The glorious thing about it was nobody could tell me to stop or that I was being stupid. Nobody was there to comfort me and that did me just fine. I didn't want to be around anyone. I just wanted to mad and let it out. Even if Rick was awake, I wouldn't want to talk to him right now. I would advise him to just stay away and let me be.

I start pacing back and forth, another boredom or anxious habit that I've had since before the world ended. That's one thing I got to keep, I think to myself bitterly. The past few weeks I've in this up and down cycle that I can't break. I'm fine one day, mad as hell the next. This place is driving me insane and sometimes I think that's how I'm going to be when I finally die. Bitter, lonely and insane. Lovely, right? If people could read me right now, they'd probably think I'm psycho or just a huge whiner that can't make up her mind. Maybe they'd be right.

Thoughts swim around my brain until I once again have a headache from it. "What's the point?" I whisper as I run a hand over the holes in the wall.  
>I wish I had music. I would probably put on a bunch of angry music to rock out and take my frustration on. Kind of ironic considering the people who made the same music are most likely dead. Morbid thought, I know but hey, the world is morbid now. Might as well conform to it. I smirk as I can practically hear my mother scolding me for even thinking such a thing.<p>

I walk over to table by Rick's bed and notice the flowers in a tacky looking vase. I wrinkle my nose as I pick it up and observe it. "This is the ugliest thing I've ever seen." I say disgusted then hold it in front of Rick then crinkle a shriveled up daisy. "You should really water your flowers more, ya know." I scold.

I sigh as unconsciously look up at the clock trying to see the time but once again I find out it doesn't work. Shouldn't be too late though, probably about mid morning. Maybe I just woke up on the wrong side of the bed-er, shower I should say. Maybe I just needed a nap to snap me out of my grumpy mood. Yeah, a nap sounds good. Nothing else to do anyway. I go to my little "nest" as I like to call it and flop around a few times before I finally find a comfortable spot. Something needs to change and it needs to change soon.

I jump as I'm jolted out of my sleep by a big _thunk!_ The hell was that? I think grumpily as I try to close my eyes again. "Nurse, help." I freeze as I hear a voice from the other room. "Nurse...help!" The voice says louder. What the hell...who the hell is that? I ask myself, fear seizing me and causing me shrink further in the shower. How did they get in? I wonder. I hold my breath and listen. Maybe I was imagining things. It's happened before...

But when I hear what sounds like a man wheezing and struggling to get up, a thought comes to mind. Rick?...No...it couldn't be. Suddenly, I see him stumble into the room and anxiously turns on the faucet and starts drinking the tap water. Oh my God, it is him. I don't know what to think. My mind says I should say something, I've been begging for this day for the past month but I can't say anything at all.

I watch him as he drinks, trying to think of a way too announce my presence before my foot decides to make up my mind by involuntarily spaz out and hit the wall. Rick freezes then turns around, looking for where the sound came from and finally lands on me. It's almost comical how both our eyes widen and we stay in awkward silence at first. Then he shakes his head then walks towards me. "Did you fall cleaning the shower?" He asks in a concerned voice.

The corners of my lip twitch as I shake my head. "No." I answer shortly. I can tell this is going to be more awkward than I thought.

His forehead wrinkles in confusion. "Are you my nurse?" He asks.

I shake my head again. "Not exactly." I whisper.

"Then what's going on? Where's my nurse?" He asks, confusion written all over his face. _She got eaten, _I think to myself but dare not say anything. I can't. After a few awkward moments pass, he rubs his forehead. "Look, I don't have time for this. I don't know what's going on and I'm in pain and in need of help." He says, clearly growing impatient with me. "If this," he motions to me. "If this is some bet or joke-"

"It's not a joke." I say hurriedly, snapping out of my reverie.

"Then what is it?" he asks exasperatedly.

I just stare at him, trying to figure how and what I'm going to say. "It's the end of the world." I blurt out. Wow, way to break it gently, Sara, my brain scolds me.

"Excuse me?" He asks in frustration.

I shake my head then force myself to get up out of the shower. "I'm sorry, let me back up." _While you were asleep,_ _Zombies have taken over the world. _Nah, that's still a bad choice of words. How the hell do I explain this? I sigh in frustration. "I'm sorry...there's no way that I can prepare you for what I have to say."

After a few moments of trying to figure this out, Rick shakes his head. "Look, you seem to be having a hard time explaining what's going on to me so I'm going to find somebody that can." He says then walks away. I hear the door open and my fear kicks in, making me want to stop him but then Paul's words echo in my ear.

_"Don't open this door until the time is right."_

It's time.

I watch Rick as he opens the door and looks around the deserted hallway. He gives me a bewildered look then leaves the room. I snatch the knives out of the wall, uncertain at what's lurking around the corners, then go after Rick. I find him at a desk, frantically trying the phone and rummaging through the baskets. I step on a piece of glass that breaks and he whips around to face me. "What's going on?" He asks in a shaky voice then walks towards me. "Please tell me." He motions around. "What happened here?"

And for the first time, I find my voice but am careful with what I say. "A virus broke out while you were in a coma. It was...is deadly. It wiped out probably the majority of the population." I pause, letting the information sink in.

Rick looks around. "A virus caused all this?" He asks skeptically.

"It's starts out as a fever, the fever burns you out and you die." I look down, knowing he's not going to except my next explanation. "Then you back. Only...when you come back you're not yourself. You attack people, tear them apart. If you scratch or bite someone, they turn too." I pause again, waiting for Rick's reaction. When I don't get one, I look up and see him walking away.

"Rick, wait!" I call after him.

"How the hell do you know my name?" He attempts to then dismisses his question and keeps walking. "Never mind."

"Please, you have to listen to me!" I plead.

"You're insane!" He calls back at me.

I run to catch up with him. "I know it sounds crazy, believe me, I wish I was but I was here. I saw it for my own eyes!"

"Stop it!" He hisses at me. "I'm tired of your games."

I get in front of him. "I know what I'm saying sounds screwed up, it took me a long time to process it on my own. I wish it were some cruel Halloween prank but it's not. It's real and if you don't listen to me, you're going to get yourself killed." I warn.

He stares at me for a second then wordlessly steps around me and keeps going. I close my eyes and let out of a frustrated sigh. Ugh, men! They never listen. I open my eyes and see that's he's stopped at the end of the hallway. He has a confused and slightly fearful look in his eyes as he looks through the window of some double doors. I walk over and look in the same direction he is and my stomach twists in knots. Just a few feet away is a woman, a nurse that's been eaten down to the bone. It's a gory sight and I have to force myself to look away. I knew that nurse.

Rick turns and looks at me with terrified eyes. He opens his mouth but can't say what he wants to say so he turns and starts walking the other way. I choose not to say anything and let him discover the horrors of this new world. He walks slowly down the hallway, avoiding the electrical lines hanging down and observing the bullet holes in the walls. I shudder. I can still hear the gunshots. A few feet ahead are double doors with an eerie warning written in spray paint. Rick stares at it in horror. _DON'T OPEN, DEAD INSIDE. _A lump appears in my throat. Paul must have done this.

I look away. "When the virus got out of hand, people started panicking. The military came in and started shooting everybody." I explain as I stare at the holes and bloodstains. Rick finally looks at me and I know he's listening. "It was chaos...all around. People...innocent people...doctors being shot down." I look at Rick. "I can't get it out of my head. The screams, the gun shots. It's all very clear in my memory."

He looks at me with sympathetic eyes and tries to say something but then is interrupted by the dead pushing on the doors, their moans becoming louder and louder. Rick takes a step back, keeping his eyes locked on the doors. I gasp as a hand slips through the crack in the doors and reaches for us. Fear paralyzes me in my place as terrifying memories of my mother flood my mind. I can't think straight. I can't make myself move like I want too. It's not until Rick grabs my arm and pulls through the next door that I realize I'm moving. I snap out of it in time to see Rick trying the elevators but they don't work. He then opens the door to the stairwell that's pitch black.

He tries to pull me through but I freeze and shake my head in fear. "C'mon." He urges. "We gotta get out of here."

I shake my head frantically. "Are you crazy? You don't know what's in there."

"We have to find a way out. I have to find my family." He says automatically. This dude's in shock.

"Look, it's a black, creepy stairwell. It screams trouble! Have you ever watched the movies? This is what happens before people get killed." I try to persuade him.

"We can't stay here. We have to find help." He replies.

I sigh. "Haven't you been listening to anything that I've been saying? There is no help. There is no rescue."

Rick shakes his head. "You're wrong. There has to be something, someone who can help us."

"Rick, you're in denial. There is nothing." I try to emphasize but he's just not getting it.

"How do you know until you look?" He asks me and once again I freeze. Maybe he's right. Maybe there is something. I haven't been out at all, so how would I know?

I take a deep shaky breath. "Alright." I whisper. He gives a small smile then reaches out his hand, which I take. "If we get eaten, I'm blaming you." I mumble, which earns a soft chuckle from him.

I jump as the door shuts violently behind us and we're left in pitch darkness. "Hang on." Rick says as he fumbles around for something. He lights a match and there's just enough light to illuminate our path. I follow closely behind him but the next step we take we're both hit with the overwhelming stench of death.

I quickly cover my nose as does Rick. "Smells like the trash when you accidentally throw away rotten meat and forget about it. Only ten times worse." He comments in a disgusted voice.

I agree as I listen for the sounds of creepers that may be lurking in here. It feels like we're in there forever and my anxiety nearly hits the roof. Good lord it stinks in here. Finally, Rick finds and opens a door and we're both nearly blinded by the sudden bright light and the smell...words can't explain. Once my eyes adjust and my breath is stolen by the scene before me.

Bodies...everywhere. Not creepers, people. Tears pricks my eyes as I look around the horror scene in front of me. Rick and I exchange glances and for the first time, we're on the same page.

We come to the end of the stairs and Rick is the one who steps in the midst of the dead first. I take a second but then follow him. We walk in silence and part of that is because of shock and the other part is out of respect. It would feel so wrong to have a casual conversation in this mass graveyard.

I'm alright until I look down and a woman's head that's uncovered. There's a bullet hole in the side of her head and she doesn't look like she was one of the creepers, which means she was killed in cold blood. This revelation breaks me and I stop. Though I cover my mouth, a strangled sob escapes my lips and hot tears fall down my face as grief engulfs me. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I look up at Rick and I see the same grief stricken face that I have. I look from him to the woman to at all the other bodies around me. There's so many things I want to do right now. Scream, run, die...but all I can't make myself do anything but cry.

"This is real..." I say in a raspy voice. "I heard it...all day and all night but I didn't see this...I didn't know this is what they were doing...I shouldn't have left...I didn't know...I didn't-" Another sob cuts me off and I feel Rick pull me to him. My cries are muffled as I bury my face into his side. I know this is a sign of weakness but I can't help it. This is overwhelming. I knew in my head that it was over but seeing it...it just broke me.

Yet there's another thing that I know. I can't stay this way. If I'm going to survive, I know I have to toughen up. Because reality is, this is just the beginning and there's going to more sorrow, more pain and I can't let it break me like this every time. So I consciously make a decision that this would be the last time this happens. I'd take my moment to grieve but then, I'll straighten up and I'll embrace this new world.

Eventually, my tears come to a stop but I don't move. "C'mon." Rick whispers in my ear then places his hand around my head so that I don't have to see any more as we numbly walk through. At least not what's here. I know he can't protect me from everything that's to come but in this moment, the gesture is kind and I don't dare fight it.

After what seems like hours later, we stop and he gently pulls away. I look up with red eyes. "Thank you." I whisper, slightly embarrassed then wipe my eyes. "Sorry." I apologize as I fiercely wipe my face.

"Don't be." He says quietly.

I shake my head then continue to walk forward up the hill. When we reach the top, we see more of the war zone. It's not as shocking as when we first walked out of the hospital but it's still reality. After looking around, I follow Rick numbly, not exactly sure of where he's going. He finally points to a couple of bikes that are strewn across the street.

I give him a questionable look but don't say anything. As I pick up the bike, I hear Rick gasp and fall to the ground. "Rick!" I run to his side and then jump back as I see what spooked him so much. A creeper, or half a creeper I should say, was stretching out towards us, snarling and daring us to get closer.

"C'mon." I whisper as I help him up.  
>We both hurry back onto our bikes and I follow him down the street. Soon he stops and hurries up to a house that I assume belongs to him. When we get in he frantically starts yelling for his family. "Rick." I try to get his attention so that I could tell him about Shane. But he's frantic and running through the house, calling out their names. "Rick!" I try again but he just brushes past me.<p>

"Lori! Carl!" He cries out.

"Rick, they're gone!" I say to him and he shakes his head. I walk over and grab his arm, getting his attention. "When I was in the hospital and all hell had broken loose, your friend Shane pulled me into your room. He tried wake you up, tried to get you out but you wouldn't budge. Your pulse was so weak we thought you were dead." Rick slinks to his knees as I tell him everything. "He told he'd promised to take care of your family." I swallow the lump in my throat, remembering everything. "I don't know if he made it out ok, that was the last I'd heard from him. But I hope...I hope that he did." Ricks cries and I join him, feeling his loss as he cries out their names again.

He holds out his hand and looks at it then feels the floor. "Is this real? Am I here?" He asks brokenly then suddenly starts smacking his head. If it were under other circumstances, I'd probably laugh.

"Rick." I try to pull his hands away.

"Wake up!" He yells a few times.

I pull his hands down and look in his eyes. "Rick, listen to me. This is real. This happening." My voice cracks and I take a deep breath. "This is our reality now."

Rick gives me a long, hard, hurt look then wipes his eyes and shakily stands up. "I need a minute." He whispers brokenly then walks outside.

I hang back, deciding to give him his space. I hated having to give bad news. I never understood how doctors could tell people that their loved ones were dying or had some terrible disease like cancer. Having to explain to a man who just woke up from a coma that the world had ended and that there was no telling if his family were alive or not was just unbearable.

I walk around his house and admire a few of the family photos hanging on the wall. They were a beautiful family. I wish one or two of mine to hang on to but my home is at least an hour away.

After a few minutes of roaming around, I realize that Rick doesn't even know my name, he hardly knew anything about me except that he woke up to me chilling in his shower. Talk about awkward explanations. I decide to go explain myself but right as I turn around, I see two things. Rick waving at a creeper that's more than willing to visit and a boy that runs out of nowhere and whacks Rick upside the head, knocking him to ground.

"NO!" I scream as I run to him.

I can't be alone. Not again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>I hope I made this as realistic as I could. I, personally, think it'd be extremely awkward to wake up from a coma and see some chick chilling in your shower then on Sara having to explain how the world ended and that there's zombies everywhere. I'm sure it'd all be pretty awkward, frustrating and then really overwhelming. So, I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter coming is New People, More Decisions: Sara and Rick get acquainted with new strangers, Sara tells her story and some major decisions are discussed. Review, please!<strong>_


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